Regarding the Oct. 16 article "Clarifying the idea of community": Allow me to disabuse The Japan Times of its illusions and misconceptions. The East Asia community is to be located in East Asia; the European Union is located in Europe. If the East Asia community must have the United States as a member, why not insist that the EU have the U.S. as a member?
Because The Japan Times has always been blindly pro-U.S., it has incorrectly pointed out the threats in East Asia. Today the biggest threat in East Asia, or Asia as a whole — and no less on our Ryukyu (Okinawa) soil — is the presence of the American military bases. The U.S. presence in Asia places a tinderbox in our midst. U.S. domination of Japan precludes our nation from coming to terms with our past. Hiding behind the U.S., we have never sincerely searched our souls and apologized for our war crimes and atrocities or, I should say, "Yamato" (old name for Japan) crimes and atrocities. We Okinawans have borne the brunt of all of Tokyo's stupid policies.
Not until we sincerely and remorsefully apologize to our Asian neighbors will we truly be accepted in the East Asia community. It is time to rid Asia of the imperialistic presence of the U.S. Australia and New Zealand can choose to stay out since they've never considered themselves part of Asia.